Book excerpt: A fascinating account of the history and development of St. Louis, Missouri, from its founding in 1764 to its hundredth anniversary in 1909. The book features a series of essays on different aspects of the city, including its architecture, politics, industry, and culture. The essays are supplemented by numerous illustrations, maps, and charts that provide a rich visual record of the city's evolution over time. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.